PUDUCHERRY SPEAKER’s ORDER : OUR STAND

I, the Honorary President of Karaikal Union Territory Struggle Group wish to state our position in view of the Hon’ble Speaker of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly R.Radhakrishnan openly directing the Police in the floor of assembly today i.e 23 rd April to take appropriate legal action against KUTSG for organizing a protest meeting against few MLA’s who had demanded that the regional quoto based on population basis which KUTSG won from Government in 2006 wherein students of Karaikal where getting 18 percent seats in Medical/engineering seats be withdrawn.

Yesterday the meeting took place in Karaikal. Today after zero hour AIADMK MLA A.Anbazhagan raised the issue and claimed MLA’s have right to immunity for their speeches and none outside the assembly should criticize the MLA’s. As follow up Hon’ble Speaker had issued the order as reported in Malai Malar and other news papers.

1. People had been confered with the right to freedom of speech under the Constitution of India, and Hon’ble Speaker had today raised the People’s Freedom of Speech versus Legislators Freedom of Speech. Everyday in national television channels all debates are about what is spoken in Parliament and Assemblies. Nowhere freedom of speech is curtailed except in Puducherry. After protesting the price rise issue recently too BJP had protested about price rise outside Parliament. No one claimed since it was spoken in Parliament about which there should be protest outside the assembly.

2. Karaikal region since 2006 is enjoying a quoto which AIADMK MLA Anbazhagan, DMK MLA’s SP.SIVAKUMAR, R.SHIVA and PMK MLA Anantharaman wanted to snatch the quoto, and to protect our existing right we condemned the demand made by these legislators, which in no way undemocratic nor it infringes their freedom of speech.

3. In Tamilnadu too right from Mullaiperiyar to every issue, parties outside assembly had protested and such protest agitations or speeches conducted in peaceful manner with due police permission had never been subject to the treatment Puducherry contemplates.

To uphold the right of Karaikal and to uphold the freedom of speech we are ready to court arrest or any action that the Speaker contemplates to silence protests in a democracy.